Improvement in mouse-traps



CHARLES A. HOTCHKISS.

Improvement in Mouse Traps. V

N0. "8,721, Patented Sep. 5, 1871.

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fiilitmmz I gunman MWMM K farm M UNITED TATES CHARLES A. HOTCHKISS, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOUSE-TRAPSL Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,721, dated September 5, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. HOIGHKISS, of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mouse-Traps; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, ref erence being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a top view of my improved trap. Fig. 2 is a detailed vertical section of the same taken through the line 90 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspon (1- ing parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved mouse-trap, which shallbe so constructed that the mouse cannot reach the bait but will sprin g the trap in attempting to reach the bait, and which will set itself when the spring-loop that carries the catching-1001) is pulled down; and it consists in the bait-hook, coil, and catch, constructed and combined with the other parts of the trap, as hereinafter more fully described.

A is the wooden. part of the trap, in the lower part of which is formed a cavity, a to receive the bait-hook and catching-loop, and to which the mouse has access through a hole, (o in the outer side of the block A. The block A may be made with one or any desired number of the recesses a and holes M. B is the spring-loop, the end parts of which are coiled to give it the necessary elasticity or spring, and its ends are attached to the block A in the ordinary manner. C is the catching-loop the arms of which pass up through holes in the block A, and their ends are pivoted to the spring-loop B. The loop C is so arranged as to hang in the recess a just in front of the hole a D is a wire which passes up through a slot in the block A, midway between the holes through which the arms of the catching-loop C pass, and has an eye formed in it to receive the wire by which it is pivoted to said block A. The upper part of the wire D has an inwardly-projecting shoulder or catch, d ,formed upon it to catch and hold the spring-loop B, and its upper end is inclined outward, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the catch d will be pushed back by the descent of the spring-loop B. As the loop B passes the catch or shoulder (l the weight of the lower part of the wire D will throw the catch forward to catch the loop B, and thus set the trap by the simple operation of pushing down the loop B. The wire D in the upper part of the recess a is bent to the rearward at right angles, or nearly so, passes through a guide-loop or staple, E, attached to the block A, and is then bent downward and coiled into an open constantly-decreasing spiral coil, (1 of such a size that the conical recess thus formed will be sufficiently large to receive a mouses head freely. The end of the wire D, at the apex of the coil (1 projects to the rearward, to serve as a point or hook, d, for the attachment of the bait.

With this construction, as a mouse enters the hole a and attempts to reach the bait it inserts its head in the recess of the coil d, and, pushing against said coil, springs the trap, and is caught by the loop C before reaching the bait.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The catch (1 coil (P, and bait-hook 61 formed of a single piece of wire, in substantially the manner herein shown and described, in combination with the spring-loop B, catching-loop C, and recessed and perforated block A, as and for the purpose set forth.

CHARLES A. HOTCHKISS.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. LEWIS, W. A. PARROTT. 

